Where's the Sanidine

Christmas and Beyond

2012-01-22T20:21:00.000-08:00

I thought I should probably put a few Christmas pictures on here. Here's Andrew with his new polar bear. Andrew is doing great. He is doing really well in school. He has gotten 100% on each one or his spelling tests, so now he has a goal to be the best speller in 1st grade. He is also playing basketball. He has a goal to make it to the BYU basketball hall of fame. He wants to be the best at everything he does. Reed is Andrew's assistant coach, and the coach told Reed the other day that Andrew was really good.

Ahh Christmas, and the mess that goes along with it. Here are the boys with all of their stocking stuff spread out all over there new table. This table is really cool. Our landlords gave it to us. He had made it for their kids when they were young, and they wanted to see it in use again. On Christmas, Andrew asked who the table was from. I said "Who do you think it is from." Eric piped up, "I think that it is from Santa." I said, "Well actually Santa had a helper this time. Bro. S made this table. Isn't that cool?" Eric said, "How did he get to the North Pole?"

Andrew and Eric look totally stylin' in their new hats from Aunt Heidi.

Eric has been really hilarious lately. The other night we were at the dinner table talking about karate. Eric pipes up, "I made up a new karate song. 'BILL NYE, TAKE THAT!'" Reed and I about choked on our food we were laughing so hard. We also don't know what Eric has against Bill Nye, who in our opinion is totally awesome.

Tonight at dinner Eric and Andrew had a very interesting conversation.

Eric: "Andrew, I want to marry you when I grow up."

Andrew: "You can't. You can only marry girls."

Eric: "What! I can only marry girls?"

Andrew: "Yup."

Eric: "Yuck! If I have to marry a girl then I'm not getting married at all!!!!!"

Logan is running all over the place now. He also recently discovered dancing and he thinks it is really fun to dance around with us when there is music playing. He is a huge flirt at church, at least until someone tries to hold him. The other day I was at the post office. I was helping Eric get his coat back on when Logan started to walk towards the doors. A lady came in a said something to him, so he quickly turned around and started walking away. Unfortunately he walked away from me. When he didn't see me right away he got really scared. It took me a long time to calm him down. It must be confusing to be so short and all you see are legs. The other day we were at the library and he grabbed the lady's leg that was standing next to me. Eventually he looked up and saw me and got a confused look on his face like, "If mom is there, then whose leg is this?!" The funny thing was, that the lady didn't even ever notice. She must be used to her own kids hanging on her.

Harry Potter Party

2012-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

So way back in October, we had a Harry Potter Party while the boys and I were in Utah. Several members of my family have been asking me to post these pictures, so better late then never (hopefully). This was really Chelsea's brainchild. She is awesome. Since all of our kids are so young, they have never seen Harry Potter. So before the party we showed them some clips from the movie which they thought was really cool.

We decorated the diningroom table to be all the different stores in Diagon Alley.

Uncle Shay gave each of the kids a ride on the Hogwarts Express.

I was Miss Trewlawny. All the children had their furtures told. They were all a bit murky.

We recruited dad to be Hagrid.

We made all sorts of totally awesome treats.

The kids got to decorate their own History of Magic book with glitter.

They also get to choose out their very own owl from the owlery.

But I think all the kids loved getting there wands and getting sorted the very best. Uncle Shay was Ollivander and Chelsea was the sorting hat. The kids thought they were hilarious. I tried and tried to get videos to post, but they just would not load. Blogger is trying to make me aggravated!

We Are Alive!!!

2011-12-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

The reason I have not posted in so long is that we moved to Montana...and because I am lame and tired. I might do a couple of posts to highlight cool things that have happened since May, but I didn't want to get too overwhelmed so I thought that I would start in the present and work backwards.

We just had Logan's 1st birthday. He liked his cake. But by the end he was not liking the fact that his fingers were dirty. Logan is doing really well walking now. His record is 9 steps. He also likes to stand and bend up and down over and over. Reed also taught him how to blow so that he could blow out his birthday candle. It is super cute. He loves to jibber jabber and especially play peek-a-boo, and he is a HUGE flirt! Unless of course you try to take him from mama or dada then watch out!

On an unrelated note, Andrew lost one of his top teeth today. It has been hanging by thread for a few days now and tonight while we were reading stories he got it twisted in such a way that it wasn't out and it wouldn't go back in. He started freaking out, which I thought was quite reasonable given the position of his tooth. Reed convinced him to tie dental floss around it and then shut the bathroom door. On the first try, Andrew walked the door shut. On the second try, he wasn't standing far enough away. On the third try I heard a "clink" from where I was cowering in the kitchen, and I hear Andrew say, "It came out!" A pause and then, "OWWW!" And then tears. We had to read more stories to take our minds off of it.

Random Stuff

2011-05-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Andrew is playing coach pitch baseball...and he is LOVING it! He is doing so great. Last week he scored the first run for his team of the season. I wish I had taken a picture of his face as he crossed home plate. His face was a mixture of pride and excitement. It was awesome.

Eric told us that he wanted to play baseball as well, so we signed him up for T-Ball. He has had 2 games, and so far he has been "too tired" to play, or it is "too windy" to play. The little stink bug!

Logan likes daddy playing peek-a-boo with him!

Last week we started Logan on rice cereal. The next 3 pictures illustrate how he felt about it!

EEEK!

WHOA!

Just stop Mama, PLEASE!

Eric just turned 4. He has really taken being 4 seriously. He is being much more mature and independent. It is great! So many things that he used to say he needed my help with he now says he can do by himself because he is 4. The other day Eric said, "Mama, six hundred is a 6 with 2 zeroes after it." I said, "Eric, how did you get so smart?" "Because I am 4 now!"

He is such a sweet boy. The other day he was laying on our bed and he said to Reed, "Daddy, I am so cold." So Reed put the sheet on him. "No Daddy I am still cold." So Reed put the blanket on him. "No Daddy I am still cold." Reed said, "What else do you need?" Eric said, "Daddy I just need you." Our hearts melted.

In church on Sunday, the boys filled out questions for me for Mother's Day. One of the questions was "Why do I love my mom?" Eric had his teacher write "Because I wanted her." I wanted you too Bud!

Things That are Cute, Hard, and or Loud!

2011-04-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

1. Cute- Reed reading to Logan. You wouldn't think that a 4 month old would stay interested in books for that long, but he's got the genes for it and he will lay there for quite a while. 2. Cute now and Hard later- Logan sucks his thumb. It is so cute now, but you can't take a thumb away when he's 3! 3. Hard- Washing my hands while the boys are having a "car wash" for all of their cars. 4. Cute and Hard- How many party hats can Eric wear at a time? The record is six! Beware when they fall off though, because he gets really angry. It is also very hard to give him a hug, you might poke out an eye. 5. Cute obviously- Eric is a great big brother. We just have to stick close by because when he is done holding Logan, he is DONE! 6. Cute- Logan's legs just crack me up. I love that at this age it is cute to have chunky legs. Unfortunately chunky legs aren't considered so cute as you become older. Enjoy them while you can Logan! 7. Hard- Along those same lines, it is hard to find that time and energy to exercise with 3 little boys. When I do exercise, I have an audience. Eric insists on carrying on a conversation with me as I about have a heart attack! Eric actually loves it when I exercise. He adores Jillian on the 30 Day Shred. Yesterday he dragged 3 door mats into the living room and said "Come on guys! Let's play Jillian." 8. Cute- Watching Andrew read to Eric and Logan just melts my heart. What a great big brother! 9. Cute- My cute, sweet Logan. He wants to make everyone happy. As soon as we make eye contact with him, he gets a huge grin! 10. Hard- It is hard to keep the house clean because things like this pop up all over the house in the matter of minutes. The living room was totally clean when I went upstairs to feed Logan, and this is what it looked like when I came back down. 11. Cute- We are so lucky to have 3 great boys.

12. Cute and Just Plain Loud- There are 2 kinds of people in this world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't. Obviously we are the former. In case you can't understand the singing (screaming), this is the song "Sweet Caroline" performed by Andrew and Eric.

Boys, Boys, Boys!

2011-02-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

Cute, cute, cute!!

I know this one is a little bleached out, but it is still so cute.

Eric and Logan.

Andrew and Logan.

Andrew reading to his younger brothers.

Andrew took this picture. I think he did a great job.

Logan loves to smile. Unfortunately capturing these smiles is not easy. As soon as he sees the camera he just stares at it. Andrew took the best pictures. I would get Logan to smile and Andrew would take the picture. Today Logan laughed for the first time. It was so great. He was talking to Eric and I and we finally just started laughing. After Logan saw us laugh, he tipped his head back and did a belly laugh. Cute!

1...2...

2011-01-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

Nothing says, "I am a manly man" better then a pair of Lightning McQueen underwear on the head. The other day Eric was playing with some plastic animals, and they were not cooperating with him. He was getting very frustrated. Finally he said, "One...two...don't make me say three!" I wonder where he's heard that before?

Also here are some more pictures of Logan. He is growing fast. It is a good thing because he really is getting smothered with love. One of Eric's Joy School teachers asked him last week if he liked his new baby brother. "Yea," he said, "I'll keep him." Eric basically lays on top of him, "I'm giving him hugs mama!" and Andrew has discovered he is strong enough to pick Logan up and walk around with him. Don't worry. I am always hovering close by. If Andrew feels like he is losing his grip on Logan at all he yells, "I'm losing him!" Logan is so patient. He also has started smiling a lot. I love it! It helps in the middle of the night to get a little smile. What a sweetie!

Logan is Here!

2010-12-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

We welcomed baby Logan into the world yesterday! He was 9 lbs. 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. W e grow them big! I had at least 3 seperate nurses assume that he was C-section. When I told them no they were very shocked and impressed. I am fairly impressive:)! So far Logan is a very laid back baby. We have had to basically torture him to get him alert enough to eat. His big brothers think that he is the cutest thing that they have ever seen. Andrew said we should have named him Cutie Pie. We are tired but happy. We are so glad that Logan is here! Welcome to the family!

My Big Boy

2010-11-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

It seems impossible, but Andrew turned 6 last week. He still loves animals, as you can tell. In fact he told my parents and Reed and I that instead of presents for his birthday he wanted money to donate to the NWF to "adopt" an animal. He also made cookies a couple of weeks ago

and sold them at our garage sale. We were so proud of him. He stayed out there all day. In fact when we were cleaning up he kept asking for more time. He made almost $13. In the end he got enough money to "adopt" two wild animals. After MUCH deliberation he decided on 2 birds. A robin and a cardinal. We are so grateful for Andrew. We are so glad he is so sensitive and so giving. We love you Andrew!

Fall Fun

2010-10-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Eric make a beautiful women? My friend is actually holding Eric up because he was way to short to be seen. This was a fun little trip to a place called Oil Ranch. The kids got to ride horses, milk a cow (Eric opted out of that one), see lots of animals, go on a hay ride, a train ride, bounce in a bouncy house, and get a pumpkin. They had so much fun. Mama was completely worn out. Even the bouncy hay and train rides didn't make the baby come out though.

Such good looking cowboys!!!

For Halloween Eric decided that he wanted to be "Green Thunder" or Chick Hicks from the movie "Cars." Yes, that is the mean car that crashes all of the other cars. Oh well. Reed was the master mind behind the cardboard box construction, I spray painted, and Andrew and Eric covered it with stickers. Eric also helped do a lot of the decorating. He did a great job. He actually has planned out what he wants to be for the next 5 Halloweens. "For this Halloween I want to be Green Thunder, then the next one I want to be a superhero, then a ducky, and then a really big Thomas the Train," Okay so I exagerated, 4 Halloweens. Anyway, so after the ward Trunk-or-Treat he was ready for his superhero costume. Reed and I were like, "Yeah...that's not going to happen."

Andrew wanted to be a superhero, "Super Andrew!" It is embarassing to admit how late Reed and I stayed up on Friday night sewing Andrew's costume. But what is even more embarrassing is how much tape and safety pins were still required to achieve the right look. On the way to the Trunk-or-Treat Andrew listed off all of his powers. They were pretty impressive. He can fly, run faster then Dash, and is stronger then Superman. "If glass hits me it will break into 109 pieces." He also said that his wristbands are shields and that there is only one thing that can get through his shields. He wanted a lot of input from us as to what this might be, but he finally came up with something...the name of which I can't remember right now. Let's just say that Andrew's kryptonite is something like "Wukenite."

Andrew chose out the deisgns that he wanted for his cape, belt, wristbands, and badge. Super Andrew is one cool superhero!

Here I am with all 3 of my boys. We decided the baby needed to have a costume too, so he went as a Jack-o-latern.

Updates from September

2010-10-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

We started the month off by purchasing a minivan to make room for Tank. Yes, we are now minivan people! Andrew and Eric think that it is just about the coolest thing ever. It is so much bigger than our other cars, they feel like we are so high up. Even if we are next to a huge truck they say, "Look, we are as tall as that truck."

This is Eric's self portrait. He took several, but this is the one that allows you to actually see his cute face. So before I tell this story I have to confess something...we read in the bathroom. Gasp! So every time Eric walks in on one of us we are holding a book or magazine. The other day he ran in to go potty. He grabbed a crossword puzzle book that was on the floor, put the seat up, opened the book and stood there doing his business while perusing the book. Since he was standing up, he was done in about 5 seconds. It seriously was one of the cutest things that I have ever seen.

Andrew has now lost 2 teeth. This is his self portrait to show off his new grin. Eric thinks it is so cool that Andrew has lost teeth, and received money under his pillow, that now he is always showing us his "loose" tooth.

The count is up to around 10 people now who have asked me if I am having twins. I carry out and down! It is not my fault! Sorry there is no photo to go along with this update. Maybe I'll be bold and let Reed shoot one right before I pop.

Vacations are Awesome--Sickness...Not so Much

2010-09-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

We went to Yellowstone while we were out west. Here is Andrew at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Andrew, Eric, and their cousin Jonas spent the whole time that we were in Yellowstone climbing. Everytime we got out of the car we had little boys climbing half way up a cliff. Here is a "cave" that Andrew and Eric found.

Here we are at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

We wore Eric out while we were walking around Old Faithful.

We had a great time while we were on vacation. Unfortunately at least one of us was sick the entire time that we were there. That part really stunk. But we really did have a great time. We miss everyone a lot!

And Baby "Tank" Makes 5!

2010-07-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Here he is lying on his side.

Here is the proof that he is a boy.

Here is his foot.

Yes world. We are expecting baby number 3...and boy number 3! We are so excited! Andrew wants to name the baby "Tank," so we told him that we can call him that while he is still in my belly. Eric wants to name the baby "Boy." So those are our 2 options: Tank and Boy! What do you think?

The baby is due December 4th. We are about 21 weeks along. So we are past the halfway point. I definitely look further along then 21 weeks though. I guess the 3rd time around my body is not putting up any resistance to stretching. At this rate I won't be able to move by December! Oh well. It is worth it!

Our Bird Sanctuary

2010-06-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Andrew is so excited about birds right now. He and the neighbor set up a bird sanctuary in the front yard. Most of the time we have 10-30 birds in the front yard. Andrew and the neighbor made habitats for birds, frogs, rabbits, and lizards. They set up buckets with a sign next to them asking for donations for the SPCA and the Giant Panda. They also both called family members asking for donations. They ended up raising around $80. We are so proud of him. Reed and I have learned a lot about birds in the past couple of months. Andrew has a list on the door with all the birds that we have seen. Everytime we see a new bird he gets so excited. We love his enthusiasm. What a good boy!

Andrew's Big Day!

2010-05-16T19:50:00.001-07:00

Andrew graduated from preschool last week. I figure if he looks this cute in cap and gown in 13 years, we will have to beat the girls away with a stick! He is a crazy man. For most of the year, he was nervous to downright terrified to go to school. Then about 2 weeks ago I told him he only had 2 weeks left and he said, "I wish I had 900 left because I love school now." In fact he cried for 2 days after this graduation because he was so sad that preschool was over. He just refuses to be satisfied!!!

Our camera was acting up during the ceremony. It decided to not focus and go as slow as molasses. So that is why I missed the first part of this song. Then, since Andrew uses our camera and fills up the memory card with his animal/nature pictures, we ran out of room before the song was done. So anyway, here is the middle part of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Andrew is the 3rd from the left, holding a yellow bell. I really wish we had gotten the whole song because after the bell part was done, then the kids sang the song. It was hilarious. There were about 3 different tempos going. Andrew and his friend Jacob finished a whole line before the last group finished singing.

Eric is 3!

2010-05-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

How did our baby turn 3? He won't even let us call him baby anymore. He says, "I not a baby mama, I a big boy." But like I tell Andrew, both of them will always be my babies. Even when they're 50. Andrew doesn't seem to think this is very cool.

For Reed's birthday, we put a car on top of his birthday cake. So ever since then Eric told us about 50 things that he wanted for his birthday, and then he would say, "And I want it on my birthday cake". Seriously, if we would have put everything on his cake that he wanted, that cake would have had to be HUGE. One of the things he asked us to put on his cake was a full size basketball! The thing that he talked about the very most though, was blue Thunder. Thunder is a character from the movie Cars. In the movie, Thunder is green so we didn't think that they made a blue one. But Eric never lost faith. Whenever he talked about his birthday he would talk about his blue Thunder, and how Grandma was looking for it for him. Ah, the faith of a child. Grandma did not find it (though she gave a very good effort), Reed found it. It ended up being the only thing that we put on his birthday cake, but he didn't seem to care. He was so excited.

Eric caught on pretty quickly that he was now 3 instead of 2, but it is pretty hard to learn to hold up 3 fingers as opposed to 2. Especially if your fingers are short and chubby. So cute!

Wild Flowers

2010-04-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Andrew found a few wild flowers (aka weeds) growing in our backyard the day before we mowed. He picked them and brought them inside for me. He got really excited when I put them in a vase. Later we went on a bike ride. Well, Andrew and Eric rode while Reed and I walked. Well there were a lot of "wild flowers" along our route, so every 30 seconds or so, Andrew would screech to a halt to pick more. This usually caused Eric to ram into the back of him but no one was seriously injured. When it started to get dark Reed and I finally had to say, "Okay, I think we have enough flowers." When we got home and put them all in the vase, my boys were so proud. It was very sweet. They both gave me great big hugs.

From Ahh to AUGGHHH!

2010-03-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

So often our boys go from something that is so cute and awesome and quickly it turns to something crazy. The other day we decided to do pillowcase races. The boys thought that this was just the funnest thing ever. Andrew was a lot faster then Eric, so he would wait for Eric at the end and then shout, "It's a tie!" and they would both laugh and laugh. As shown in the following videos, this game quickly digressed.

One day we were outside cleaning up bikes, balls, etc. and Eric went into the house. When I went in, I said "Eric, where are you?" He said, "I going poops." I was so proud. I hear the toilet flush and then I hear Eric's sweet voice saying, "It's cold." Yup, he stuck his foot in the toilet. My one consolation is that he flushed first.

Again with the potty. I was trying to make dinner and Eric had to go potty. I usually stay in there while he washes his hands, but this time I was in a hurry so I left. I said, "Can you wash your hands by yourself today?" He says "Yes Mama." Well he's in there singing and talking and generally sounding very cute. Then I hear, "I can't turn it off." I ran in and Eric had plugged up the sink and flooded the bathroom! As I was cleaning Eric just kept saying, "Mama I sorry I did dat. I sorry I ruined the band aids."

Eric and Andrew wanted to be my chefs for lunch one day. So cute. I had bread, apples, carrots, an entire dinner plate filled with crackers, a whole gallon of milk and a whole container of apple juice...and a HUGE mess to clean up afterwards.

I'm Lame...Who's With Me?

2010-03-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

I love watching the Olympics. But there is a drawback. It really makes me feel like a loser. Chelsea and I talked about this extensively after the summer Olympics. We both loved them so much but then we were like, "Oh man, why can't we be cool too?" Being a glutton for punishment, I watched the Winter Olympics too. Just when I was getting over my feelings of inadequacy, 5 time medalist speed skater Chad Hedrick comes to a Verizon store near our house. Reed and Andrew went to see him and had him sign our Salt Lake City Olympics banner. He wasn't in those Olympics, but it was the only Olympics thing we had. Reed and Andrew said it was really neat. They got to see all of his medals. He has 2 bronze, 2 silver, and 1 gold. They were excited that they got to meet him. Oh and don't worry, in a couple of days I will be okay with being mediocre again.

Quirky Boys

2010-02-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

Our sweet boys sure do love each other.

Andrew took this picture of Eric. I thought he did a pretty good job.

A couple of weeks ago, Reed and the boys decided that they wanted to go camping. They decided to "camp out" in Eric's room. Andrew was so excited. He helped Reed make a list of everything that they would need. Then as we were saying family prayer that night Andrew prayed that I, mama, would not get scared out there by myself. It was awesome and sweet. Reed tells me that Eric woke up screaming in the middle of the night. When he finally settled down enough to talk he sobbed out "Mama drank my chocolate milk." All I can say is that I wish my nightmares were this mild. Speaking of nightmares...

...Eric's been potty training for the past few weeks. It actually hasn't been a nightmare. It was even his idea. He was helping me get Andrew's clothes one morning and he saw Andrew's Lightning McQueen underwear and said "I want to wear Lightning McQueen on my bum bum." Well I would have been officially a fool if I hadn't jumped on that opportunity. He caught on really quickly. We did have some poop issues at first, so we had to bribe him with Lightning McQueen cars. We finally told him he could get a Mac if he went poops in the toilet for a week. All we had to do was say "Mac" and he would run to the toilet. It really does help that he is obsessed with the movie "Cars." Ask him what any of the cars in the movie say and he will blast your eardrum with his response. The night that he earned Mac he wanted to sleep with it in his bed. He was so excited. He just kept calling us into his room to talk about playing with Mac the next morning. It wasn't until about 10:30 that he finally stopped calling us in. Pure excitement!

The boys were sitting on the hood of the car and wanted me to take a video, and this is what they came up with. Eric is in the mode where he copies almost everything that Andrew says. But this time, Eric can't get a word in. That is actually pretty typical. Maybe that's why Eric talks so loud...hmmm.

Cute and Talented...Some People Have All the Luck

2010-01-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

First off, I do not know how to turn these video's. I'm sure someone smarter and more technologically savvy then I could do it easily, but alas...I am what I am. So that being said, you are just going to have to tilt either your head or your computer to get the full effect. Next time I will remember to take the video's horizontal.

So one of the drawers in the toy room was empty (because the contents were scattered to the 4 corners of the room) and Eric decided that if he turned it upside down it made a great stage for him to do some musical performances on. He did about 7-10 performances. He wanted me to film each one. After each one he would jump off and say, "I see it now." Then he would watch himself, get very excited and say, "I do 'nother one." This particular song is "Jack and Jill."

While Eric was performing, Andrew was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. He could hear what was going on though, and he decided to hurry it up because he definitely wanted in on it. So then they had to take turns performing, watching their video, and then performing again. Don't even ask what song Andrew is singing. It is one he made up right on the spot. And yes, he is crazy!

Favorite Holiday Moments

2010-01-17T18:29:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas. A lot of family was able to come to visit us. Aunt Mer came and was a total hit with both the boys. Andrew wanted her to do everything with him. He thinks she is pretty COOL.

My mom and dad came too. It was great. Andrew and Eric always had someone willing to read to them. When it was time for them to go home, Andrew asked if everyone could just live with us. The day we took everyone back to the airport, he just cried and cried. It was so sad.

We had a great Christmas. Here Andrew and Eric are giving each other a hug to thank each other for their presents.

Me and Mer. Don't you love these pictures where you just hold the camera out in front of you and click. I love my sisters!!! Mer is awesome. She and I started the Jilian Michaels "30-day Shred" workout DVD while she was here. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to start this by myself. We had a good time laughing with each other as our weak, pathetic arms shook as we raised our little 3-5 pound weights in the air. It is just way more fun to work out with someone joining you in begging the TV for mercy.

Mom and Dad got this little 12 inch bike for Eric. He was the only child in the cul-de-sac without a big bike, and he just could not keep up on his little tricycle. So what he would do is just push Andrew's bike around the cul-de-sac. It was cute, but sad. He was so excited when he opened this. He has had tons of fun keeping up with the big kids. He calls it his "new, new bike."

My favorite holiday memory from this year is from Eric. He went with Reed to get a present for me. When he got back I said, "Eric, did you go shopping with Daddy?" And he said, "We bought you pretty, pretty necklace. I not tell you. It's a surprise." It was so cute. Everytime I wear that necklace Eric looks at it and says, "Eric and Daddy buy you pretty, pretty necklace. I not tell you. It's a surprise."

The Battle of the Card Stock

2009-12-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

By now most of you should have gotten our Christmas letter. Some of you may be wondering why on earth our Christmas letter was printed on card stock. Perhaps you were thinking that we are just really stuck on ourselves and think that our letter is more important then most others that you will receive. Well that might be true...just kidding. To tell this story properly I have to go back, back, back...to June. We live very close to a Postal Copy Center. I needed to make some copies on card stock , so I went in and here is the conversation that I had with the lady.

me: "I would like 25 of these on card stock please."
lady: "On what?"
me: "On card stock."
lady: "What is that?"
me: Stunned silence, then "You know, thicker paper."
lady: "We don't have that."
me: Huh?!

Now fast forward to December. I try to find cute Christmas paper at Walmart, but let's face it, that store is just to big to find anything that you are actually looking for, so I give up and think I will just have them run it off on green paper. I go back to my special Postal Copy Center. I give the man my letter and tell him I would like it run off on green paper. After he gets the copies going, he brings the first one to me. Here is the conversation that I had with him.

me: "This is card stock. I didn't want it on card stock, I just wanted normal paper."
man: Comes over and shakes the edge of the paper as if to prove something to me and says, "This is normal paper."
me: "No, this is card stock."
man: "Do you want me to stop the copier?"
me: "Yes."
man: "I can't. It would mess up all of my other copiers."
me: Huh? What? Why? What just happened here? (This was all said in my head. On my face was just a look of consternation and annoyance.)

So I get home and start trying to stuff envelopes with stupid card stock. The envelopes that came with our Christmas cards required folding the paper over as well as in thirds. Believe me, this is not easy to do with card stock. Well I get about a third of the way done and all of a sudden our Christmas letter is superimposed over someone's exercise schedule. I start flipping through to see if the rest are like this, when about 6 pages down, what should I discover but REGULAR PAPER. So apparently to work at a copy center you do not need to know the difference between regular paper and card stock. In fact, paper is paper...why don't we just stick all the green paper in one stack? Oh well. So if you got your letter on card stock, now you know why. You should feel lucky. Now you can treasure it forever without having to worry so much about it ripping. For those of you who just got normal paper, please do not feel sad. We love you guys too.

Sweet and Sour

2009-12-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

Sweet: Last night Eric made up song for each member of the family on the piano. Each one consisted of him playing random notes, and basically singing the family members name over and over again. He would sing one and then say "Now I sing Andrew's song....Andrew, Andrew, Andrew...." You get the idea. We couldn't go upstairs to bed until we each had our song. Yeah, sweet!

Sour: Yesterday morning I got a bowl down for Eric's cereal. It is his favorite bowl. It is brown and shaped like a mitt. Well he sat down, threw the bowl off the table and said, "I not want brown bowl." He said this over and over for about 20 minutes. Finally he got interested in something else and I cleaned up breakfast. Not wanted to start anything, I picked up the bowl and put it back in the cupboard. Eric saw me. He went and got a chair, pushed it over to the counter, climbed onto the counter, got the bowl back out, went and sat back down at his seat, threw the bowl off the table and said, "I not want brown bowl"!!! Um...not so sweet.

The Spirit of Christmas

2009-12-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

We had our ward Christmas Party a couple of weeks ago, and they told us to dress in time period clothes. Andrew decided to dress up as a wise man, and we had Eric dress up as a shepherd. They had a program where they acted out the Christmas story from Luke, but the audience was only involved in the singing. Andrew did not understand this, and all night he kept asking us when it was going to be time for him to go and give his present to the baby Jesus. We kept trying to tell him that we weren't involved in the program but it just wasn't sinking in. In his mind, he was a wise man so he needed to give a present to baby Jesus. The way they did the program was they would read from the scriptures, and then whoever they had just read about, e.g. Mary and Joseph, shepherds, etc would make their way to the stable while singing a song. Well when they read about the shepherds Andrew said, "Okay Eric, it's your turn." We kept trying to explain it to him that we weren't in the program, but he wasn't having any of it. He was just so excited in a sweet and innocent way to go up and present his gift. How could I refuse? So when they read the part about the wise men, I walked up with him so that he could set down his present in front of the baby. Luckily the lady who played Mary has a son Andrew's age and she was so gracious, and we got A LOT of "Ahh, isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever seen" looks on our way back to our seats. I told Reed, this was one of those experiences that made me want to cry, and yet was pretty embarrassing too. I was proud of him. He is such a good boy. I love his innocence.

Last week we chose a name off the Angel Tree and we went to Walmart to get presents for a little boy. On the way there we kept talking about how we were helping this little boy have Christmas and how we were all going to feel warm and fuzzy inside for doing something good. Well after we bought all of the stuff Andrew asked why he didn't feel warm and fuzzy inside. So we tried to explain some ways that he could feel the Spirit. He said he didn't feel any of that, so we told him maybe he would feel it when we dropped off the presents. Well we dropped the presents off the next day, and he asked again why he didn't feel warm and fuzzy. Reed and I really wanted him to feel good about what we had done, so we prayed that he could have good feelings, and be able to recognize the Spirit. So the next day we had FHE. We sang Christmas songs and took turns telling each other some of the things we were most grateful for that Jesus has done for us. Well after we had each had a couple of turns Andrew said, "I feel warm and fuzzy now." That was one of the neatest experiences I have ever had. Reed and I both teared up and told Andrew that he was feeling the Spirit and that we both felt it too. Prayers are answered.

Birthday's!

2009-11-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I both recently had birthdays. Mine was first so I will start with it. Andrew is so great. As soon as he woke up he went downstairs and made signs and pictures for me and hung them up all over the house. He got treats out of the pantry and put them by my spot for breakfast. Then he set up different game stations. Here is a list of the different birthday party stations that we had:
1-Bounce the ball into the shoe
2-Pin the feather on the turkey
3-Read the books
4-Read the comics
5-Play with the cars
6-Play with the animals
7-Eat breakfast.
Pretty much it was the coolest birthday party ever.
When Reed got home from work he brought me these beautiful flowers. Sweet!

Andrew turned 5 a couple of days ago. He decided that he wanted to have a friends party this year, so this was our first experience with a friends only party. It was Reed and I versus 1o little kids. It actually went really well. Our neighbor girl told me that it was the funnest party at someone's house that she has ever been too. So there you go. We are totally awesome apparently.

Andrew wanted a Lightning McQueen Cake, and he helped me make it. While he was mixing up the batter with the beaters he said "Hey mom, this looks like your tummy." Anyone who has given birth can probably sympathize with me on this observation by my 5 year old. Unless you were one of those freakishly lucky people who didn't get 10,000 stretch marks. Anyway, lets just say that knocked me down a couple of notches. What I wanted to say was "Hey, you're the one who did this to my stomach, and any spot that you left free of stretch marks, Eric came along and took care of!!!" I didn't though. I just smiled and helped him make an AWESOME cake. By the way, he and Eric are totally worth the loss of my flat stomach.

Also I just have to tell you what Andrew requested for his special birthday dinner. He asked for a peanut butter sandwich, peanut butter pretzels, carrot sticks, mickey mouse cheese, and apple slices. YUM! We love you Andrew.

Larry Boy and Thomas the Train

2009-11-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Eric loves Thomas the Train, so that is what he was for Halloween. Reed and I made his costume on Friday night, and when he woke up the next day and saw it he was so excited. Eric was totally amazed by the Trick-or-Treat thing. When he realized that people were putting candy into his bag, he let out a little whoop of delight and did a jig. It was totally awesome and hilarious. All night he kept telling people that he was Thomas, and then at one of our last houses a lady said, "Are you Thomas?" and Eric replied, "No, I Eric."

For several months now Andrew has wanted to be Larry Boy from VeggieTales for Halloween. For the benefit of those who don't know who this is, I will explain. Larry the Cucumber turns into a superhero, Larry Boy, who has plungers for ears. Well we went to 4 different stores chasing the elusive mini plunger that everyone claimed existed for garbage disposals, but to no avail. So we had to make do with making our own plungers. Not many people knew who Andrew was, but those who did got a huge kick out of it. Also as a fun bonus to his costume, he could whack people just by turning his head quickly.

Andrew's Awesome

2009-10-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

If you know Andrew, you know that he gets VERY VERY nervous about change. So we were understandbly terrified about how he would deal with preschool. He started a couple of weeks ago. He was so nervous, but when I went to pick him up that first day he said, "Mom, you came too soon." It really was an answer to prayer.

Also if you know Andrew, you know that when he finds something that he likes he becomes obsessed with it. Well lately he has been absolutely obsessed with big cats, and it has now expanded to all wild animals. Every week he checks out several books about wild animals. Some of them have talked about animals that are endangered. This really concerned Andrew, and he kept asking us what we could do to help the animals. We told him that one thing we could do was make a donation to a foundation that protects animals. So he ran to his room and started dumping out his banks. When I asked him how much he wanted to donate he said, "I can give all of it if the animals need that much." It was so sweet. He ended up donating $10 and Reed and I each matched it. He chose to sponser a tiger. But he wanted to help more animals, so we told him that instead of a birthday present from us we could donate more money. He decided that would be good, so he chose to donate to help the wolves for his birthday. Then he asked if he could do the same thing for one of his Christmas presents. He is such a good boy, and he is a great example to us. Throughout the day, he would just squeal and look at us and say "I helped the animals!"

Fall Fun

2009-10-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew decided that he wanted us to have a really scary decoration for Halloween, so we decided to continue the awesome tradition that I had growing up of making a headless man for the front of the house. Anyone who lived in my neighborhood growing up probably remembers this totally cool tradition. Especially the year that we put the guy on the roof. I can't tell you how many times that thing gave all of us a near heart attack. Anyway, Andrew and Eric had tons of fun making this little fella. Although Andrew says it isn't scary it's just fun.

We went to a farm last week that had lots of fun fall activities. We got "lost" in a corn maze, rode in a corn cob train, rode peddle carts, ran in a hamster wheel, saw pig races, rode horses, and more. We were all very worn out and very sunburned at the end (because mom of the year forgot the sunscreen).

Andrew and Eric at the pig races.

My boys in the hamster wheel.

Me and my boys in the train. It was a tight squeeze. I was very glad when this ride was over and I could unbend my body.

Reed and Eric riding a pedal cart.

Andrew on the pedal carts. He totally knocked a lady over and didn't say sorry because he said he was too shy.

It's Easy to be Parent When...

2009-10-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's easy to be a parent when your babies are sleeping. Reed and I love to check on our boys when they are asleep. They take on a very angelic, fragile look. If we have lost patience with them at all throughout the day, this is when we feel the guilt. As we stare down at them it is hard to remember all the times they made our eyes twitch that day.

2009-10-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

What a cutie pie.

So I just decided to ask Eric to say "Look kids", and he did, so I thought I would show how cute it really is.

Sorry about the crazy video shooting, but in my defense I was the chaser. I just wanted you to see how Andrew protects Eric like I wrote about yesterday. Then the other video was just so stinkin' cute that I had to share.

Vacations are Awesome cont.

2009-10-04T20:09:00.001-07:00

Andrew and his cousin, Justin, absolutely love each other. They had a sleep over and we found them holding hands when we went to check on them.

Great Grandpa and Great Grandma play the accordian, so they let Andrew and Eric have a turn.
Hopefully this will be the only time we will see our boys behind bars. Me too...I don't think I'm going to suddenly start a life of crime.

There is a totally fun park in Provo with swings that go really high. Well Eric just couldn't get pushed high enough. It's funny because 6 months ago 1 foot was high enough for Andrew. Not Eric though. He kept saying "Higher, higher". He got going crazy high. He was going way above our heads. And he didn't want to stop. He was so upset when we made him get off. He'd been swinging for at least 30 minutes. I felt queasy just watching him.

Vacations are Awesome

2009-10-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

Eric, Jonas (cousin), and Andrew at Thanksgiving Point

Eric and Reed throwing rocks in Provo River

Andrew and Grandpa taking a short break from throwing rocks in the river.

Eric and Jonas hiding under the stage at the Timp Storytelling Festival. You can tell by their faces that they knew they are doing something that they weren't supposed to do.

Andrew, Eric, and Jonas on a stage at the Timp Storytelling Festival. They put on quite a show for us.

So we went to Utah last month. We had such a great time. Andrew and Eric loved hanging out with their cousins. One of their very favorite things to do was go up Provo Canyon and throw rocks in the river. I'm surprised we didn't make a dam, we threw so many rocks in. Tonight we were eating dinner and Eric randomly started talking about throwing big rocks in the river.

Andrew's other favorite thing was going to BYU campus. He was in heaven. He got a BYU t-shirt that is now his favorite shirt. We went a few days before BYU's first football game. So the day of the game everyone had their BYU flags out. Every time Andrew saw anything that had to do with BYU he would get so excited. So we would hear squeals of joy every few minutes every time we went somewhere.

Random Stuff

2009-10-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

So it has been awhile. Here are some random cute photos of our family. Just some quick updates. Eric is still completely obsessed with trains. Especially Thomas the Train. I have to sing him the Thomas the Train song every night before he goes to bed...and that is a long song. In fact we have a whole regimen of songs that I have to sing every night. First I have to sing 2 Dora the Explorer songs, then the Bob the Builder Song, and then the Thomas song. If I try to cut corners and skip a song he always calls me on it. We went to a train museum the other day, and Eric was in heaven. They had a whole bunch of trains lined up that we could walk through, unfortunately there was no A/C and it was sooo hot. Reed and I were miserable, but the boys didn't seem to care.

Lately Eric has been saying "Hey look kids." I don't know where he got it but it is just about the cutest thing that we have ever heard. I wish I could get it on video so that you could hear it. Reed and I enjoy being called kids...especially by our 2 year old!

Andrew and Daddy hiking through the "forest".

Andrew is such a great big brother. He loves Eric and is so protective of him. When we are playing chase he makes sure that Eric is in front of him so that I have to get through him to get to Eric. There are times when he tries to block me and yells, "Run Eric, run." It is pretty heart warming. Today Eric fell down and started to cry. Andrew went running over and gave him a big hug and kiss. They really look out for each other, except for when they want the same toy:).

Andrew's Turn

2009-08-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

So Andrew has been saying a lot of cute things lately too. Reed and I have discovered that we are horrible at remembering all of the cute things our boys say, so for everything I write, there are probably 10 more things I've forgotten.

This morning the boys were eating powdered donuts for breakfast. Reed and I were sprawled out on the living room floor because we were still really sleepy. Andrew came in and said, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I spilled white powder all over the kitchen floor."

A few minutes later he asked us about why we were splayed out, and we said " We're just easing into our day." So a couple minutes later Andrew comes over and is in the process of stripping off all of his clothes while performing a little jig. When I asked what on earth he was doing he said "Oh I'm just easing into my day." It was hilarious!

A couple of weeks ago we were outside playing with the next door neighbors, and the mom told me she had a tote of toys for us. While we were going inside she brought them over. In the meantime, her kids had invited Andrew to come to their house until dinner time. As he was going into their house Andrew said, "Mama, will you get a surprise ready for me?"

"Like for dinner?" I asked.

"No, just a surprise for FHE," he said sweetly.

I laughed and said "Okay."

So Eric and I go home and go through this toy tote, so when Andrew got home there were new toys spread all over the toy room. He looked around wide eyed and said with awe and admiration, "Mama, thank you for my surprise. How did you get this surprise ready so fast?"

What can I say, I'm good. Best surprise EVER!!!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2009-08-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

So Eric is talking so much now, he is saying some really cute things. I thought I better write some of them down before I forget them. The other day Eric came into me, pulled up his shirt and said, "belly off?" I said, "No silly, you can't take your belly off," and he just laughed and laughed. So now it is a game. We do it over and over again.

If Eric wants to play chase he comes in and says, "Ga ah me." We don't really get where this one comes from, but he says it with this sly look on his face that is just so stinkin' cute. Then when we take off running after him he screams like a woman. His scream really is blood curdling. If the game lasts a long time and he is getting tired he will stop and say, "lil' rest, lil' rest." Then 5 seconds later "Ga ah me."

Every night when I'm singing him bedtime songs, he tries to sing with me. He doesn't know the words, but he always gets the last sound of each line right. Every once and a while he get a couple words in a row right and he looks so pleased with himself.

Lately when we've been saying prayers, when we are done Eric says "Pray Dada" really urgently. So then we have to say a special prayer for Reed. This repeats for each member of our family. It doesn't matter if we included every one's name in the original prayer, we have to have our own individual prayers. He won't stand for doubling up.

When you ask Eric to point to any body part that is double (i.e. ears, eyes, cheeks) he points to one and says "cheek" then pointing to the other one, "and other cheek". I think he really thinks that one is called "cheek" and one is called "other cheek." So every night he has to have a kiss on "cheek and other cheek". What a cutie pie.

Fun With Cousins or Disturbing Influences?

2009-06-21T19:09:00.001-07:00

Missy and her girls were here this past week. We had tons of fun together...but I am wondering if the girls might have been a little too influential on my boys. Friday night all of us girls gave each other pedicures. When Andrew saw our toes on Saturday morning, he had Darcey paint his toes. Later that day he asked me if we could buy some more nail polish so that I could keep painting his nails. Awkward!

Then later they ushered Eric into the kitchen to show me his new hairdo. We were definitely all getting in touch with our feminine sides. I think Reed was a little distressed though. Especially about Andrew's toes. He'll have to help the boys work on their manly grunting and burps just to help even things out again.

It is quite possible that I will have a band practicing in my garage in 10-15 years. Andrew is so into air guitar and singing and making crazy rocker faces. It is hilarious, and sometimes a little frightening. He is a character...he just can't help himself. He dances to the beat of his own drummer. The other day, we were cleaning and listening to U2. Andrew says, "Mama, we need to take a break to walk around looking cool." HA!

Eric's Birthday

2009-05-30T18:01:00.001-07:00

So our little Eric turned 2 a couple of weeks ago. It is hard to believe. He has turned into quite a little man. He's taking his 2's very seriously. His fit intensity has increased, his demands have become louder and more frequent, and the phrase, "no mama" is commonly heard coming out of his cute, cherubic mouth. We were outside playing with the neighbors and Eric was having a hard time sharing his truck. Well the neighbor girl asked what Eric's problem was. I tried explaining to her that he is still learning how to share, and how it's a hard lesson to learn...blah, blah, blah. Then Andrew pipes up and says, "He's 2." I thought that was probably the best, most succinct answer possible.

There are some very wonderful things about this age too. Eric is talking more and more everyday, interacting more with Andrew, and grasping more concepts. The other day Andrew was telling Knock Knock jokes, so Eric decided that he would to. Here are a couple that he came up with.

"Knock knock.

Who's there?

Boo.

Boo who? (wild laughter by Eric)"

"Knock knock.

Who's there?

Scoop.

Scoop who?

Scoop Bob. (laughter)"

This joke is referencing Eric favorite show Bob the Builder. His two favorite characters are Bob and Scoop. In fact as soon as he wakes up in the morning he says "Scoop Bob."

Andrew and Eric are getting so cute with each other. Whenever one of them gets hurt, the other one comes over and gives him a big hug. It's extra cute because while Eric is quite a bit shorter then Andrew, their heads are the same size. I don't know why but for some reason that makes it more adorable when they hug.

Eric's favorite things right now are cars and trucks. He plays with them all the time. He has named our two cars "blue car" and "black car". If we go a day without getting to ride in the car, he starts going through withdrawals. The other day Reed and I were getting ready for bed and we heard Eric call out "Blue car" in his sleep. It was totally awesome!

Anyway...we love you Eric. We are so glad you came to our family. You are wonderful!

Flooding

2009-05-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Last week the boys and I were playing and the phone rang. It was a recording telling me there was a tornado watch in our immediate area and to take cover. Ahhhh! We went into the bathroom, and then I thought, "Well how long do we have to stay in here"? Luckily there was never a tornado, but we did wake up to flooding. Our cul-de-sac was fine, but these pictures are just around the corner from us. It was crazy!

10 Years and Still Going Strong

2009-05-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

I think we still look this good don't you?

Reed and I have now been married 10 years! Crazy! That has really made us feel old. Missy watched the boys for us for a day. We went to Dinosaur Valley State Park. They have dinosaur footprints in the river. It was really cool. Yes, we are geologists and we are nerdy. We know it.

We spent the night at a hotel, and we were really looking forward to a good night sleep without Eric waking up or Andrew climbing into bed with us. Well, we think that the fates are against us. At about 12:30 a.m. I woke up because it sounded like someone was trying to open our door. Then I hear this obviously very drunk man yelling in the hallway for his friend to let him in. He kept yelling nonsensically, interrupted periodically by him gagging. We laid there for a while wondering why no one had called the front desk. Once he started running up and down the hall knocking on people's doors I decided I would have to call myself. Especially when he knocked on our door. Both our phones were unplugged and I couldn't figure out how to get the stupid things plugged back in, so I was sure he was going to break down the door and kill us. (I was really tired). Luckily Reed got the phones plugged in and they sent up security. And guess what? The guy was on the wrong floor. Shocker! Don't get drunk, it just makes you look like an idiot.

We really did have a lot of fun though. It was just the right amount of time. I couldn't have left the boys for more then 1 day. In fact I almost called the whole thing off within the first 30 minutes because I wasn't sure I could leave them for so long!

Superhero

2009-05-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Yes I know it has been forever since I have posted. I am sorry. There are a couple of things that I am going to post that have happened in the last couple of months though because...well because I want to. The reason I got out of the habit of blogging in the first place was that we had visitors off and on for a couple of months.

We went to the livestock show a while ago. We had lots of fun. They had this little farm where the kids got to pretend to be farmers. They fed fake chickens and got eggs, milked cows, picked fruit, got sheep's wool, and then got to sell everything at the end and pick something out of a store at the end. All the kids thought it was great. Eric was super cute in his little apron. We saw pig races which were totally awesome.

Reed and Andrew are superheros.

Here is Andrew doing a Superhero Song. He wore this same outfit to the grocery store the other day. He insisted on riding on the side of the cart so that "Everyone can see that there is a superhero in the store, mama."

We Now Have 2 Big Boys

2009-02-28T19:44:00.001-08:00

So we finally decided to cut the curls off of our little baby. Andrew claimed that he was going to cut Eric's hair, so we told him he could cut off the first curl. Eric did pretty good. He kept looking around trying to figure out what I was doing. When I used the clippers, it tickled so he would tilt his head to the side and scrunch his neck up so much that I couldn't even get to his hair. But we put Cars in and he was fascinated enough to let me finish. He definitely looks like a big boy now.

Talk About Adorable Torture

2009-02-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

We went to get our pictures taken last Saturday. Let's just say that our photographer earned her money. Andrew started off good and then he started thinking about it too much. Everytime she asked him to smile he would bite his lower lip. She finally told Andrew that if he did it again she was going to spank him. Well he didn't think that was funny so he was done for.It took Eric about 5 seconds to burst into tears. I began to think that it just wasn't going to work out. Looking back through the pictures though is pretty funny watching Eric's range of emotions. Enjoy!

Look Who's 34!

2009-02-22T19:03:00.000-08:00

Reed had his 34th birthdaya week ago. We had the coolest party ever. We played pin the tail on the donkey and twister. Andrew was so excited. As soon as we woke up, he made Reed open up half his presents.

Party Crashers

2009-02-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

We went to the Fire Museum yesterday. Unfortunately we didn't know that someone had reserved it for a birthday party. They still let us come in but it was crowded because it is a really small museum. Oh well. We had a lot of fun anyway. Reed and I felt a little foolish, but Andrew and Eric were blissfully unaware. Andrew currently wants to be a fireman when he grows up. So he had all of us doing drills. We had to slide down the pole, run and get dressed and then jump into the firetruck and zoom to the fire. He has actually always been fascinated with firemen. I have to include this video clip from a year and a half ago. Even as I was filming this video I was nostalgic thinking about him growing up and not doing super cute things like this anymore.

Just a little more info on what is going on in this video. The couch pillows are the flames and when he throws them on the floor that means that those flames have been put out. Also, when he whacks the side of the couch, he is breaking the window.

Fun with Daddy

2009-02-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

Because I am computer challenged, I could not get these pictures to change order. I loaded them in the order that I wanted, but then they showed up in reverse order. So if you want the real effect, go to the 3rd photo and look at it first and then work your way up.

Eric helped Reed make cupcakes the other day. He was a big helper scooping the batter into the cupcake holders, and a big helper at eating them. He likes to see the process through from beginning to end.

Andrew and Eric like to hide in the cupboard. So Eric thought, "If it is fun to hide in here with Andrew then it will probably be extra fun with daddy." He did get frustrated that the doors wouldn't shut though, so he tried to help by pushing on daddy's legs. For some reason it didn't work.

Imaginary Boss?

2009-02-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

I've heard of kids having imaginary friends, but have you ever heard of one with an imaginary boss? Well that is what Andrew has. He is constantly telling us what his boss says and does. Sometimes when I tell him that he needs to do something he says, "I already knew that mama. My boss told me." In fact the other day he wrote a letter to his boss telling him that he was not a good boss so he (Andrew) was getting a new boss. So now he talks about his "new boss." It is really funny and slightly disturbing, because he really does talk about him a lot!

Here's another cute Andrew story. The other day Reed was helping him get ready for bed, and Andrew says, "Oh daddy, there is a great new kind of diaper out that you should get for Eric...Huggies Ultra Fit. They're new and they're really good." Advertising works! He had seen a commercial for them when he was watching Dora. He just said it so matter-of-factly that it was hilarious.

Because Mer Asked

2009-01-25T18:30:00.000-08:00

I am: Umm...blogging.
I know: The theme song to Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, Berenstein Bears, Blues Clues, etc...You get the point.
I want: Extreme Moosetracks Icecream. Reed and I are trying to do better and not eat it every night. But it is so delicious, it's hard to resist.
I have: A headache. Andrew and Eric were playing "BOO" earlier.
I hate: Fits. Enough said.
I miss: I'm with Meredith on this one. I miss my family so much. Why did we all get stupid college educations in the first place. Mer, remember when we thought it would be better if we all just got jobs at Walmart. We thought they could even put us all on the same shift. How awesome would that be. Then we've also talked about buying up the houses on mom and dad's street and creating Veatch Row. Super cool!
I feel: Tired, but that's the story of my life.
I hear: Reed talking on the phone with his parents.
I crave: Extreme Moose Tracks Icecream. Yes, I'm obsessed!
I search: For the wonderful little moments with my boys that make being a stay at home mom totally worth it.
I love: All my family, great books, great movies, and Andrew and Eric's laughter.
I care: About a clean house.
I always: Again I'm with Mer on this one. I always stay up way too late. It's because it is my "me" time and I don't want it to end. Unfortunately my boys get up really early so it's not the best idea.
I believe: Sisters are awesome!
I sing: A lot, because when you have an amazing voice like mine you need to share it with the world. (hee hee!)
I write: Shopping lists, to do lists, and my blog.
I lose: My keys and my sanity.
I win: Not much. Reed is the one who wins stuff. He went on an amazing winning streak a few years ago when he one 2 airline tickets, and $50 to Mister Mac. I think the most recent thing that I won was a pen. Lame! Wait, I just remembered that at a BYU Geologist Alumni Party a year ago I won a stuffed BYU dog. Woohoo!
I listen: to Cold Play. Andrew is obsessed. Somehow it became a tradition for Reed and the boys to dance to Fix You everyday after dinner. It is super cute. As soon as Andrew and Eric hear the music they sprint into the living room.
I am scared: Of things that my boys will have to face.
I need: A vacation from my problems! (name that movie)
I am happy: When my boys play nicely together. It really is the best thing ever.
I tag: Chelsea!

Museums Galore

2009-01-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

First we went to a dinosaur museum on campus. We had lots of fun. As you can tell we all think it is funny to pretend that the dinosaurs/animals are going to eat us. Then we went to the Bean Museum. The boys were both in awe at both places. Eric was jabbering and pointing the whole time, and Andrew sprinted through the museum. We saw everything in 20 minutes. It's funny because we were worried we weren't going to have enough time to get through before it closed. Well with Andrew setting the pace, we had PLENTY of time. When mom and I saw what time it was we just busted up laughing.

Christmas

2009-01-11T20:33:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun in Utah for Christmas. We thought we would never get there but we were so glad that we finally did. We almost missed our flight because we were caught in traffic. Then when we got to the airport the line to check bags was ridiculous. I seriously was about to break out in hives. We were running through the airport. It may be funny in the movies but not in real life. We were in such a hurry that we forgot our diaper bag at security. By the time we realized it, we didn't have enough time to go back for it. Our flight attendants told us it was probably surrounded by about 10 security guards at the moment anyway. We were glad someone found the humor in the situation. But alas, our troubles were not at an end. The visibility in Salt Lake was aweful so we circled there for an hour before being diverted up to Boise where we sat for 3 1/2 hours. They finally let us off the airplane for 30 minutes to go get food. Andrew didn't want to get off, so he and Reed stayed on the plane while Eric and I went for food. Since Andrew was the only child still on the plane, the pilot invited him to go sit in the cockpit. Pretty cool. Six and a half hours after we were supposed to get there, we finally landed in SLC. Dad was a trooper. He was at the airport for over 7 hours. YUCK. But it was worth it. We had such a great time. Andrew wants to move back. He asked Reed the other day if he had talked to his boss yet about moving back to Utah.

Andrew loved everything about the snow. He wanted to help grandpa shovel, even on days that it didn't snow. Andrew, Reed, and Grandpa made a huge snowman in record time. And I think the picture of Eric could win some type of contest. Can you say "cute?"

SOOO Strong

2009-01-11T20:26:00.001-08:00

When we ask Andrew and Eric to show us how strong they are they both clench their fists, hold their breath, and get red in the face. I just love how pleased with himself Eric is after he's done. I don't have a picture of Andrew doing it, but I should get one because it is hilarious. He gets beet red and starts to shake.

Kung Fu Anyone?

2009-01-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we rented Kung Fu Panda because I thought Andrew would like it and it might be one that Reed and I might actually watch without twitching (if you've ever had to watch a Wiggles movie you know what I mean). Well Andrew is very, very sensitive, and even though I fast forwarded all the scary parts, he thought all the other parts were scary too. Dustin Hoffman's voice is just too scratchy for Andrew's nerves. So we didn't make it through the whole movie. In fact, after we turned it off we had to watch a Blue's Clue's show just so he wouldn't be scared to go to bed. ANYWAY, I digress. We did watch the music video on the DVD of Kung Fu Fighting, and both the boys thought that was pretty great. Andrew overshadows Eric so that is why I put one of him by himself too. Please excuse my singing.

Primary Talent Show

2009-01-11T19:54:00.002-08:00

Due to numerous requests, here is the video of Andrew doing river dance at the Primary Talent Show last February. I missed filming the beginning because I was putting the music on. When the music first starts he puts his arms out to the sides, bends his knees, turns from side to side and scowls. It is a hoot. Anyway, this dance is way more laid back then the ones he does at home. He was caught off guard when everyone started clapping, but he never stopped. He was definitely the hit of the show. So many people made comments to us, even people who weren't there. Several people wanted to know where he took dance lessons. They were amazed when I told them that he'd never had any lessons, just a strange obsession with the River Dance video. Anyway, enjoy!

Andrew...He's a Dancing Machine

2008-12-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

Our Andrew loves to dance. It has been so fun to see him evolve with his dancing. It started out as knee bending when he was a baby, eventually leading to a full out obsession with River Dance. He has never been able to sit still when their is music playing. I remember when he was just a little baby, a car driving by with loud rap music playing, and Andrew dancing to it. Sometimes he lets us join in with him, but most of the time he wants us to sit and watch so that we can cheer and clap for him. He loves an adoring audience...and as you can tell by the video he definitely hams it up for your viewing pleasure.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving up in Arlington this year. Here's Reed and Eric watching the traditional Thanksgiving football. Eric was very mellow on Thanksgiving.

Our next door neighbors have a little pip squeak dog named Jenny. Now Eric thinks that all dogs are called "Yenny." In fact he called Dale and Missy's dog "Yenny" the whole time we were up at their house. We kept trying to tell him her name was Callie but to no avail. Eric and Andrew both like to play that they are "Yenny." They crawl around and pant and we have to scratch them behind their ears and say " oh you're such a good Jenny dog...etc, etc."

The Big 30 and the Big 4!

2008-11-23T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am the one who turned 30. Ouch! How did this happen? I was supposed to be so much more mature and wise by this point. Oh well! It is a little weird to not be a 20-something anymore, but I honestly wasn't too upset by it. We'll see how I do when 40 rolls around.

Andrew is the one who turned 4 this past week. We decorated downstairs with a sign and balloons. Some of the balloons were right at the bottom of the stairs, so we woke up to Andrew's sweet voice saying, "Hey, who's been blowing up all these balloons?" The balloons were probably one of his favorite things about his birthday. We still have a few around and we have to play with them several times a day.

The day after Andrew's birthday, we took him and Eric in for their checkups and immunizations. They both did amazingly well with the checkup part. In fact Andrew even was joking around with the doctor. This is quite an improvement for him. From about his 6 month checkup he would cry every time a nurse or the doctor was in our room. As soon as they would leave he would stop crying. But this time was great. Andrew went first, and since he was so brave Eric decided to be brave too. He just looked at the doctor very suspiciously the whole time. The shots were another story. We had Andrew go first. He had to get 5 shots! Eric and I were way down the hall and we could still hear him screaming. I don't blame him. Afterwards he kept saying, "That was so mean. That lady needs to go to jail." He was quite insistent actually. Eric got 3 shots. He did really well. For Eric it just hurts and then when it is done he stops crying. For Andrew it is more then the pain. For him it is the insult of it all.

We took the boys to Chick-fil-a afterwards. That helped them forget their troubles. Then we took Andrew to pick out his last birthday present...a bike. That totally pushed the shots from his mind. Andrew chose a red bike and a Lightning McQueen helmet. He calls his bike a race car, because "it goes so so fast."

My Cute Boys

2008-11-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

Eric is really progressing. He is talking more and more. Every night at dinner we ask the boys what their favorite part of the day was. Every night Eric raises his arms in the air and says "me." We're not quite sure what that means, but it is really adorable. Yesterday we went for a walk and we kept hearing a rooster. Everytime Reed and I would say the word "rooster", Eric would say "cock-a-coo-a-coo." He is also very good at showing us how strong he is. He flexes his muscles and holds his breath until his face turns red. Super cute. Some of his favorite things are dada, mama, Andrew, and doggies.

Sunday was Andrew's first Primary Program. We've been practicing his part with him for a few weeks, and he had it down really well. His part was "I am created in His image." Except he says it "I am queated in His image." We were a little concerned that he wouldn't do his part though, because he told us on the way to church that he might be too busy to say it. We wondered what he would be busy doing standing up there at the microphone. Fortunately he got right up there and said his part, and sang all the songs with gusto.

Halloween

2008-11-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

We had a great Halloween. Andrew decided a couple of months ago that he wanted to be a robot, and Eric was a fireman. Andrew won the prize for the "Most Outstanding Costume" at Trunk-or-Treat. It was awesome. The missionaries were the judges and they said that Andrew won because his was homemade. I think the dryer vent tubes for his arms were what really pushed him to the top.

Eric was just adorable. Everytime someone saw him they said "Ahhh!" He didn't quite understand Trick-or-treating, but when he realized that people were putting candy into his bag he got excited. He gave out ab out 30 minutes into Trick-or-Treating and rode that rest of the time in the stroller. He would not let go of his bag. It got so heavy for him that it was almost dragging on the ground but he would not let us hold it for him. By the time we got home, he was comatose and Andrew was wired.

Trains, planes, and automobiles

2008-11-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

Okay maybe not automobiles, but definitely trains, rescue vehicles, and helicopters. First we went to a fall festival at our local college. Andrew rode a pony, which was a really big step for him. We all rode the train and saw a lot of rescue vehicles. We got to see a life flight helicopter land and then we got to go inside of it. It was very cool. Andrew even made up a song about the fall festival. Here is a small sample. "Fall Festival, Fall Festival. I don't know what a Festival is". He is hilarious.

Then the very next weekend we went to the Zube Train Park and rode trains. They are so cute. You straddle them and ride around on miniature tracks. Andrew especially loved going over the bridges. Eric wasn't quite sure how he felt about it, so he just kept trying to climb off.